Gaming machines which provide players awards in primary or base games are well known. Gaming machines generally require the player to place or make a wager to activate the primary or base game. In such known gaming machines, the amount of the wager made on the base game by the player may vary. For instance, the gaming machine may enable the player to wager a minimum number of credits, such as one credit (e.g., one penny, nickel, dime, quarter or dollar) up to a maximum number of credits, such as five credits. In many of these gaming machines, the award is based on the player obtaining a winning symbol or symbol combination and on the amount of the wager (e.g., the higher the wager, the higher the award). Symbols or symbol combinations which are less likely to occur usually provide higher awards.
Secondary or bonus games are also known in gaming machines. The secondary or bonus games usually provide an additional award to the player. Secondary or bonus games usually do not require an additional wager by the player to be activated. Secondary or bonus games are generally activated or triggered upon an occurrence of a triggering symbol or triggering symbol combination in the primary or base game. Part of the enjoyment and excitement of playing certain gaming machines is the occurrence or triggering of the secondary or bonus game (even before the player knows how much the bonus award will be).
Progressive awards associated with gaming machines are also known. In one form, a progressive award is an award amount which includes an initial amount funded by a casino and an additional amount funded through a portion of each wager made on the progressive gaming machines. For example, a progressive award increment rate of 0.1% of each wager placed on the primary games of the gaming machines associated with the progressive award may be allocated to the progressive award or progressive award fund or pool. The progressive award grows in value as more players play the gaming machines and more portions of these players' wagers are allocated to the progressive award. When a player obtains a winning symbol or winning symbol combination associated with the progressive award, the accumulated progressive award is provided to the player. After the progressive award is provided to the player, the amount of the next progressive award is reset to the initial value and a portion of each subsequent wager on a gaming machine associated with a progressive award is allocated to the next progressive award.
Moreover, a gaming machine or bank of gaming machines may be simultaneously associated with a plurality of progressive awards. In these multi-level progressive (“MLP”) configurations, a plurality of progressive awards start at different award or value levels, wherein each of these progressive awards are associated with a different probability of being provided to a player. For certain MLP configurations, a plurality of the progressive awards increment at different progressive award contribution rates such that the different progressive awards increment, increase or grow at different rates until one of such progressive awards is provided to a player. For example, a gaming machine or bank of gaming machines maintains: (i) a first progressive award which has a start-up or reset value of $100, a first probability of being provided to a player, and a first progressive award contribution rate of 2% of each wager placed on the primary games of the gaming machine(s) associated with the first progressive award, and (ii) a second progressive award which has a start-up or reset value of $1000, a second, lower probability of being provided to a player and a second progressive award contribution rate of 1% of each wager placed on the primary games of the gaming machine(s) associated with the second progressive award. In this example, since the relatively larger second progressive award is associated with the relatively smaller second progressive award contribution rate, the increment or growth amount of this second progressive award (over a designated quantity of wagers placed) will be lower than the first progressive awards. As certain players play these gaming machines for a chance to win the top progressive award, these players may find this configuration undesirable.
One problem that exists with such known progressive award gaming systems is that if the progressive award is initially implemented in association with a relatively small number of gaming machines, the progressive award initially increments at a relatively slow growth or incremental rate. That is, without a relatively large number of players playing at gaming machines associated with the progressive award, the progressive award increments at an unattractive rate and takes a substantial period of time to climb to a high value. This situation may cause certain players not to play at the gaming machines associated with the progressive award because they do not find the progressive award desirable or worth the playing. Such players avoiding the gaming machines associated with the progressive award further slows the growth rate of the progressive award which in turn causes it to take a longer period of time for the progressive award to climb to a high value.
Another similar problem with known progressive award gaming systems is that after a progressive award is provided to one or more players, the next progressive award often takes a substantial period of time to climb back to a relatively high value. This discourages certain players who do not wish to play for a base or reset level progressive award. Such discouragement, often known as jackpot fatigue, can lead to players walking away from the gaming machines of the progressive award gaming system because they no longer find the progressive award desirable or worth the cost of continuing to play.
Accordingly, there is a continuing need to provide new and different gaming machines and gaming systems which provide one or more progressive awards to one or more players.